Five Questions for April 9, 2013: Stephen Despart

By Kathryn Caggianelli

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Stephen Despart, 49, is vice president of Action Window Cleaner, a Rensselaer-based window cleaning business. Despart grew up in Rensselaer and graduated from Rensselaer High School. He currently resides with his wife and children in Castleton. For more information about Action Window Cleaner visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Action-Window-Cleaning-Co-Inc.

Q Please describe your business, when it was founded and why?

A Our company name speaks for itself -- Action Window Cleaning. We clean windows -- residential and commercial. We also offer a variety of other services, including pressure washing of the exterior of homes and businesses, gutter cleaning, high dusting and light bulb changes -- pretty much anything you need a ladder for, we can do. Action Window was founded by my father in 1975. He was a partner in another company and decided to venture off on his own.

Q What is your specific role at Action Window Cleaning?

A I am vice president and oversee day to day operations, including pricing new jobs, scheduling work and ensuring my staff is delivering the quality of service our customers have come to expect from us. Action has always been a family run business. After my father retired, my wife Lisa and I took over. She is president and handles the CFO and CEO responsibilities. My two sons have worked for the company during their summers home from college and my daughter does some administrative work.

Q How does Action Window Cleaning differentiate from other similar window cleaning businesses out there?

A Our experience. Action Window Cleaner is the oldest window cleaning company in the area. Our employees average over 10 years window cleaning experience, which is unusual in our business. Action Window Cleaner is a member of the International Window Cleaning Association and the International Window Cleaner Certification Institute. We continually educate our employees on the most up-to-date safety equipment and techniques and abide by all OSHA and NYS window-cleaning standards. And, Action Window Cleaner is a good place to work. We know that good employees are key to the success of our company. We value all our employees and offer them the opportunity to participate in our 401K and profit-sharing programs. Lastly, we are the only ones with the red trucks!

Q Please describe some of the challenges you've faced as a small business and how you've overcome them.

A Healthcare is a challenge. We need it, our employees need it, but it is so expensive for small companies. (I don't know why larger corporations are offered better rates than smaller companies). While the company is able to cover a significant portion of the cost, employees need to make a partial contribution. We found a high deductible plan that we, and our employees, can afford. While it doesn't have all the "bells and whistles" of many other coverage plans, it should take care of the biggest expenses. Competing with companies who offer lower prices, and, in turn, inferior service, can be frustrating. We may not always offer the lowest price, but we know our business and we deliver it well. On several occasions, we have lost business to a lower price only to be called back when the customer didn't get the quality they received from us. As is the case with most things, you get what you pay for.

Q Name one of your proudest moments, either as it relates to your business or in your personal life.

A A culmination of proud moments has been watching my three children grow up -- and being able to be a part of it. The typical hours of my job are 6 a.m.-3 p.m., which allowed me the opportunity to become more involved in their after-school activities. Luckily, we all share a love of sports and I was able to coach them at one time or another in baseball, football or basketball. It's hard to remember what I did before they started playing sports. But, with my youngest starting college next year, it looks like I will have some time on my hands.